Kathmandu

NC, UML leaders accuse India of fuelling Tarai protests

NC, UML leaders accuse India of fuelling Tarai protests

By THT Online

From left: Nepali Congress Sujata Koirala, CPN-UML's Shankar Pokharel, UCPN-Maoist's Haribol Gajurel and Sadbhawana Party's Laxman Lal Karna speaking at the Reporters' Club on Friday, November 27, 2015. Photo: Reporters' Club

  KATHMANDU: Two central leaders of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML on Friday accused India of backing Madhes-centric parties to intensify protests in Nepal. Chief of the NC International Department and former Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala said the current protest in the Tarai region is beyond capacity of Madhesi parties, and its continuation proves that India is fuelling it. 'I don't believe that the protest accelerated suddenly once the Madhesi parties decided so,' Koirala said while speaking at the Reporters' Club today, 'There is a big plot. The protest could not intensify in this way without the Indian support.' 'The Morcha cannot carry out such a project,' she added. Meanwhile, Koirala claimed the current differences over demarcation of federal provinces could not be settled immediately. If the demarcation was reviewed, it might give a rise to other protests, she warned. Speaking at the same function, UML Standing Committee member Shankar Pokharel accused the southern neighbour of trying to do 'micro-management' in Nepal by obstructing cargo vehicles in the pretext of security. India did not wish to reroute vehicles struck at the Raxaul border point, he said, adding, 'If reroute was done, there would not be any humanitarian crisis here.' 'There is no any problem if India is positive.' UCPN-Maoist leader and Minister for Agricultural Development Haribol Gajurel said demarcation debate could not be solved immediately. Sadbhawana Party Co-Chairman Laxman Lal Karna said they would not agree on the proposal to iron out differences over demarcation through a referendum.